Firefighters make progress in quelling California wildfire

REUTERSLOS ANGELESFIREFIGHTERS battling the largest recorded wildfire in California's history made progress in extinguishing the flames, even as the blaze grew overnight, the state fire agency said on Thursday.More than 4,000 firefighters in northern California are confronting two conflagrations that covered more than 304,400 acres (123,000 hectares) on Thursday. So far, two firefighters have been injured and 119 homes destroyed.Although the total size of the blaze grew by about 2,000 acres (810 hectares) overnight, firefighters were able to contain 51 percent of it, up from 46 percent the night before, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said on Thursday.Separately, about 100 miles northeast, near Redding, 4,700 crews were fighting the 176,000-acre Carr Fire, which has been blamed for seven deaths, including two firefighters, and the destruction of 1,077 homes, Cal Fire said.The Carr Fire was 48 percent contained on Thursday. Firefighters have struggled against it in steep, inaccessible terrain, Cal Fire said.Winds gusting up to 35 miles (56 km) an hour and temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 C) are forecast from Thursday afternoon to Saturday in northern California, the National Weather Service said in a Red Flag warning.